Trail Conference Maps on Mobile Devices

Download Trail Maps to Your Mobile Device

Bring a digital trail map with you on any mobile device. Trail maps from the Trail Conference are now available on Apple iOS and Android devices using the Avenza Maps app. This free app allows you reference regional maps, pinpoint your location, and track your route. View Trail Conference maps on AvenzaMaps.com.

Record the location of a trail problem, take a photo of the problem, and send the information to the Trail Conference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Avenza Maps app free?
Yes. Within the app, there are both free and for-sale maps available for download.

Do I need an internet connection to use this app?
Initially, you will need an internet connection (WiFi or cellular service) to download the app and download digital app maps. Once a map is downloaded, it is stored on the device and is viewable and functional without an internet connection; using GPS, measuring distances, and finding coordinates can be done without service. Certain advanced tools do require an internet connection.

Does this digital app map replace the need for a printed map?
No. These digital app maps are not a replacement for printed maps that every trail user should have on hand. Batteries can die, software can have issues, and weather can become problematic, so we certainly suggest you carry printed maps just in case.

I am a member of the Trail Conference. Am I eligible for a discount on these digital app maps?
No. Discounts are currently not available on digital app maps.

I have purchased a print map. Is the digital app map version available for free or at a discount?
No. Discounts are currently not available on digital app maps.

Can I view the digital app map on my computer like I might view a PDF file?
No, each digital app map is only viewable within the app.

Can I print out a copy of this digital app map?
No, the app does not support printing.

Should I be worried about my device's battery life?
Battery life depends on many factors, but short trips should minimally affect your device's battery. For longer trips, you should monitor your battery life more closely. To improve battery life, try adjusting brightness, closing other background apps, and turning off extraneous things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, notifications and e-mail syncing.

Who should I contact if I have issues with the App?
Visit the Avenza Support Center to learn more about the app, troubleshoot, or ask questions about issues.

List of Trail Conference maps available in the Avenza Maps app

More than sixty Trail Conference maps are currently available, including free maps and maps for purchase. Please note that map bundles group individual maps similar to print map sets. To view our complete catalog of digital app maps, visit the Trail Conference map page on AvenzaMaps.com.

Comment: Please be relevant, civil, non-commercial.

I'm slowly adding these to my Iphone. I bring the paper maps with me as well. Iphones can be a distraction on the trails, but what the hay. Love all three sets of maps I have for all the trails: the electronic version, the maps I bring with me, and the maps I hang in my house with the highlighted trails I've completed.
These are great gifts for your city-living friends.

The idea is really a great one. I purchased 8 maps to use on my galaxy s4 for Android device. The Android software is of limited use at this point because you cannot record your track or save your points to plan a trip. I think the release was a little premature and should have waited for basic features that would make this a good tool. You Can however see where you are at all times, measure distances in the field, as well as more easily find the trailhead.

The Android version of this app just came out at the end of September, and it includes a number of great features that work to enhance our trail maps. The ability to record/import/export tracks is not yet available; this feature just became available on the 2.0 iOS version of the app, so this feature will likely come to Android as well. You can use the app to record/import/export placemarks, so this is a useful way to plan a trip or keep track of particular points.
We realize that this app may not satisfy the desires of everyone, and we will continue to ask the app developer to work on bringing track recording to the Android app. But even without that, the many tools and features that are currently available make this a great solution for many out on the trail. We have heard firsthand from a number of users that one feature in particular, being able to pinpoint your location directly on the trail map, has helped them either keep from getting lost or get back onto their intended route after going slightly astray.
Thank you for your comments, and I hope you are able to use the maps on your adventures.
~Jeremy, TC cartographer

Hi jeremy your cartography and paper maps are stunning and I enjoy them immensly. yes you can import and export place marks but you cannot navigate to them like you do with a gps track point. a tracking function would allow a user to follow their way back from a geocache or side trip etc. it would essentially put a backup gps in the hands of every hiker and result in alot less people being lost. I would pay a premium for the track feature. perhaps ultimately one day the app will be able to follow the curvature of the trail lines to give you accurate trail distances or have nav abilities. track however is the most important thing missing.

I am using this app with a Galaxy S3. What I like most about this new app is the clarity of the screen image. I have been using Backcountry Navigator Pro with GPX tracks up loaded, but these tracks were overlayed onto a USGS map and are difficult to read, except at a very large magnification, as the map is too busy. I also like the fact that the image on the screen is an exact duplicate of the map I am carrying, so that I can quickly transition to a paper map. I also carry a high end Garmin, which is much more accurate for track recording and Geocaching, but this is a function of the limitations of the phone GPS, not the app. On my most recent hike I used the PDF app exclusively, never even pulling the paper map out, even when showing another hiker where we were while he looked over my shoulder. I also like the fact that when I buy these maps, I am supporting the Trail Conference. I highly recommend this app.

Thank you very much for the great feedback and recommendation! We're glad to hear people using the map app on their explorations. The exact replica of the paper map, which can also be enlarged greatly on the screen if necessary, is one of the most helpful features users have mentioned. I have found myself showing other hikers the map on the app rather than the paper map as well! And we of course appreciate the support with your purchase, as these sales help the organization perform its trail work.~JeremyTC cartographer

i also love this app, using it on galaxy s3 but hope it gets the routing, tracking and measuring capability on android that it has on IOS. meanwhile i had bought the NJ maps 115 and 116 and they just upgraded to 2014. i tried to update but they charged me again for the same map! is this going to be true for all the maps as they upgrade we need to repurchase them? i bought them within the last 6 months...thanks susan

Hi Susan!
I'm glad you're getting great use of these app maps on your S3. We are also hoping the tracking capabilities are made available on Android soon, as it is a great feature for use on the trails!
For our paid maps in the app, whenever a new edition is made available, it is treated as a new map item to be purchased. This is the same as our printed Tyvek maps, as we charge for new editions. With the paid map apps, it should be noted that you don't lose access to an old edition when a new edition becomes available. For example, if you paid for the 2012 North Jersey maps and did not want to pay for the new 2014 versions, you can continue to use the 2012 maps (and do things such as download the maps on multiple devices).
I think I will add this question and response to our Frequently Asked Questions section above to provide clarification for others. And I thank you for your support of the Trail Conference's work through your map purchases.
~Jeremy, TC Cartographer

(probably not the right place for this post, please move to appropriate section.)
I notice that in the past couple of years, National Geographic has come out with trail maps for both the Catskills and Harriman/Sterling Forest. I was wondering what is the driving force behind this? I would think National Geographic must have bigger fish to fry than Bear Mountain ...?
It also appears that the ADK club now packages the Nat Geo maps with their books (although they still offer their own maps for separate sale). Is the Trail Conference considering a similar partnership with Nat Geo?

National Geographic has, indeed, in recent years, come out with maps for the Catskills, Harriman-Bear Mountain, Sterlng Forest, and Delaware Water Gap (Kittatinnies), all of which cover areas that are already covered by Trail Conference maps. I think that the motivating force behind these maps is that they are popular hiking areas, and National Geographic wants to have maps that cover all important hiking areas in the United States. These maps do, of course, compete with our Trail Conference maps, but we believe that our maps are vastly superior to the National Geographic maps for a number of reasons, including the size of the maps, their readability and their accuracy. Our customers seem to agree, as sales of our maps have not been impacted in any significant way by the appearance of the National Geographic maps.
By the way, the National Geographic maps generally cover a broader area than the Trail Conference maps, as they include much adjacent private land that does not have any trails. They make excellent road maps, and I highly recommend them for this purpose. But if you're interested in a trail map, our Trail Conference maps are far superior.
Since we produce our own trail maps, which we believe to be superior to those produced by National Geographic, we see no reason to partner with National Geographic to package their maps with our books.

The trail maps we currently offer through the free app range in price from Free to $5.99 per map. Our free map offerings generally include either small parks or areas not covered by our regular Tyvek maps. The for-sale map offerings are basically digital versions of our published Tyvek maps, and they go from $0.99 up to $5.99 based primarily on their coverage area and the amount of trails contained on the map (for instance, maps with more than 100 miles of trails are either $4.99 or $5.99).
We have not yet looked into creating bundles as you suggest, but that may certainly be a great incentive to offer along with other discounts such as receiving a discount on a digital version if you purchase the Tyvek version, etc. I appreciate your inquiry and suggestion.
~Jeremy, TC Cartographer

We are very excited as well! The ability to capture/upload/download tracks is great to see. In addition, the newest Android version also allows for the geotagging of photos so that photo locations can be captured with placemarks/waypoints.
Enjoy the maps out on the trails!
~Jeremy, TC cartographer

Currently, important maps showing all of the Appalachian Trail, Long Path, and Highlands Trail are not in our digital map offereings, except for where portions of these trails occur on our available maps. While the Appalachian Trail is covered by print maps, both the Long Path and Highlands Trail are not yet covered in their entirety by print maps. We have plans in place to produce such maps for both the Long Path and Highlands Trail, both in some sort of print/downloadable form as well as digitally through the PDF Maps app. These projects are large undertakings that we hope to be able to provide to individuals like yourself in the near future, so stay tuned!~Jeremy, TC Cartographer

Thanks for your inquiry about pricing for updated maps.Our digital maps through the PDF Maps app are currently treated the same as our printed Tyvek maps when it comes to new editions. When a revised digital map is made available, it is a new map item to be purchased; the old edition is not replaced, and you don't lose access to an old edition when a revised edition becomes available.While our digital maps have been extremely popular, we do need to look at opportunities to promote them further and to new users, and part of that could include things such as discounts for revised editions, discounts for purchasing both print and digital maps, subscriptions for the latest print and digital maps, etc. Each of these has many factors to consider, including working with the app developer to implement certain things. These digital maps are still a relatively new product space for us, so we'll continue to develop the products as we hear more from users like yourself. Anyone is welcome to send their thoughts to me directly, or post a comment/question on this page.Thank you for your support of the Trail Conference!~Jeremy, TC Cartographer

(edited)
I had purchased 11 of your Android maps (2013 version).
I got a new phone, and had problems moving the maps.
Jeremy contacted me and helped me out, and all is well now.
Thanks for the great customer service, and the beautiful maps.
Jay

I'm glad we were able to resolve your issue! I have added information above to help others who may experience a similar issue (an optional Step 6 in the step-by-step instructions), so I thank you for bringing this to our attention.Enjoy the maps on your new phone!~Jeremy, TC Cartographer